Gilels (1916–1985) was one of the 20th century's foremost pianists. He was the first Soviet musician to appear in the U.S. during the Cold War era, making his debut in Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto with Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra (Oct. 3, 1955). This 1978 recital from the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory features works by Schumann (Four Piano Pieces, Op. 32), Brahms (Four Ballades, Op. 10), and Chopin (Sonata No. 3 in B Minor, Op. 58; Polonaise in C Minor, Op. 40; Polonaise in A-flat Major, Op. 53, "Heroic"; Etude No. 26 in A-flat Major, Op. posthumous).

"Gilels was born for the stage. He walked to the piano with supreme confidence, with a pride, it seemed, in the great tradition of Russian pianism. Just watching him was fascinating…. He was the very picture of the great virtuoso. And indeed he was … with enormous technique and a glorious sonority—a sound that stayed in the ear long after the concert had ended."—The Art of the Piano